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2024 Annual Conference Schedule

Wednesday, June 12 – Saturday, June 15 in St. Louis, MO
“All Together Now: Lifting Our Voice for Community”

Explore the schedule of events for the AASECT Annual Conference in St. Louis!
Please note: We’re shifting the conference by a day this year to accommodate Father’s Day celebrations. The opening keynote will now take place on Wednesday instead of Thursday, as in past years.

All sessions will take place in person, with select sessions also streamed live via Zoom for virtual participation. These sessions are identified with an asterisk (*) in their title and outlined in berry pink on the schedule below. Please note that these sessions will not be recorded so live attendance is required.

For a standalone lineup of virtual streaming sessions, check out the Virtual Streaming Schedule.

Visit the Pricing & Registration for in-person and virtual rates!

Tuesday, June 11, 2024

Displayed in Central Daylight Time.

9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Registration: Badge Pick-up and Information
Welcome, attendees!

For a seamless badge pickup and onsite registration experience,

Step 1: Please come to the registration area to print your badge containing your unique QR code that was emailed to you.

Step 2: Grab your tote bag, which includes your lanyard, badge holder, and important conference information.

Step 3: Don’t forget to visit the badge swag station to customize your badge with ribbons and pronoun pins.

Enjoy the conference!

9:00 am – 5:00 pm
The Embodied SAR: Reassessing the Role of Embodiment in Sexuality (Part 1)

Presenters

Rafaella Smith-Fiallo, LCSW, CSE

De-Andrea Blaylock-Solar, LCSW-S, CST (she/her)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

The Embodied SAR is an experiential, group-based process that facilitates participants in expanding their awareness of how various aspects of their sexual attitudes, beliefs, values, and practices both influence and are influenced by one’s experience of and relationship to their body. Rationale: Embodiment involves awareness of somatic feeling, body movements, and the relationship of one’s own body to other bodies. When individuals become disembodied they are likely to lose their connection to their sexual selves. In order to work effectively with sexual concerns, professionals must examine the connection between interpersonal context, social identity and its impact on sexuality. It is intended that after participating in this SAR, attendees will:

  1. Identify relevant frameworks that are relevant to professional growth and development.
  2. Explore methods of applying relevant frameworks to one’s personal and professional practice.
  3. Examine various experiences of embodiment and implications on sexuality.
  4. Recognize how identity and social perception may contribute to body disconnection.
  5. Develop practical components of embodiment for individual and clinical use.
  6. Demonstrate an increased awareness of personal attitudes, values, feelings and beliefs about an array of sexual and social identities.
  7. Develop greater comfort when addressing and discussing sexual identity topics.
  8. Discuss how their sexual feelings, values, reactions, and beliefs may be impacting their ability to work with multicultural groups in professional settings.
  9. Describe at least three (3) examples of ways intersectionality is relevant to sexuality professions.
  10. Examine the relationship between dominant social narratives and the maintenance of sexual ethics, normalcy, and sexual politics.
  11. Articulate the ways in which one’s personal sexological worldview has developed over time; compare and contrast the unique components of one’s own sexological worldview to those of other professionals within the field;
  12. Recognize how discomfort with diverse sexual practices may contribute to barriers in the delivery of educational, health, social, and behavioral health services.
  13. Recognize how internalized stereotypes influence our perception of sexual health, wellness, identity, and behavior.
  14. Clarify the aspects of sexual knowledge and self-awareness that present areas for further professional exploration.
  15. Develop practice perspectives that promote understanding and respectful interactions with individuals who hold different and possibly competing worldviews.
Registration

In-Person: The Sexuality Attitude Reassessment (SAR) is an optional add-on to the general conference program, requiring an additional registration fee. Registration is limited to 30 participants.

10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Exhibitor Set-Up

Set-up will begin on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at 10:00 AM and must be completed by 5:00 PM.

Wednesday, June 12, 2024

Displayed in Central Daylight Time.

9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Registration: Badge Pick-up and Information
Welcome, attendees!

For a seamless badge pickup and onsite registration experience,

Step 1: Please come to the registration area to print your badge containing your unique QR code that was emailed to you.

Step 2: Grab your tote bag, which includes your lanyard, badge holder, and important conference information.

Step 3: Don’t forget to visit the badge swag station to customize your badge with ribbons and pronoun pins.

Enjoy the conference!

9:00 am – 5:00 pm
The Embodied SAR: Reassessing the Role of Embodiment in Sexuality (Part 2)
Presenters

Rafaella Smith-Fiallo, LCSW, CSE

De-Andrea Blaylock-Solar, LCSW-S, CST (she/her)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

The Embodied SAR is an experiential, group-based process that facilitates participants in expanding their awareness of how various aspects of their sexual attitudes, beliefs, values, and practices both influence and are influenced by one’s experience of and relationship to their body. Rationale: Embodiment involves awareness of somatic feeling, body movements, and the relationship of one’s own body to other bodies. When individuals become disembodied they are likely to lose their connection to their sexual selves. In order to work effectively with sexual concerns, professionals must examine the connection between interpersonal context, social identity and its impact on sexuality. It is intended that after participating in this SAR, attendees will:

  1. Identify relevant frameworks that are relevant to professional growth and development.
  2. Explore methods of applying relevant frameworks to one’s personal and professional practice.
  3. Examine various experiences of embodiment and implications on sexuality.
  4. Recognize how identity and social perception may contribute to body disconnection.
  5. Develop practical components of embodiment for individual and clinical use.
  6. Demonstrate an increased awareness of personal attitudes, values, feelings and beliefs about an array of sexual and social identities.
  7. Develop greater comfort when addressing and discussing sexual identity topics.
  8. Discuss how their sexual feelings, values, reactions, and beliefs may be impacting their ability to work with multicultural groups in professional settings.
  9. Describe at least three (3) examples of ways intersectionality is relevant to sexuality professions.
  10. Examine the relationship between dominant social narratives and the maintenance of sexual ethics, normalcy, and sexual politics.
  11. Articulate the ways in which one’s personal sexological worldview has developed over time; compare and contrast the unique components of one’s own sexological worldview to those of other professionals within the field;
  12. Recognize how discomfort with diverse sexual practices may contribute to barriers in the delivery of educational, health, social, and behavioral health services.
  13. Recognize how internalized stereotypes influence our perception of sexual health, wellness, identity, and behavior.
  14. Clarify the aspects of sexual knowledge and self-awareness that present areas for further professional exploration.
  15. Develop practice perspectives that promote understanding and respectful interactions with individuals who hold different and possibly competing worldviews.
Registration

In-Person: The Sexuality Attitude Reassessment (SAR) is an optional add-on to the general conference program, requiring an additional registration fee. Registration is limited to 30 participants.

10:00 am  – 3:00 pm

Pre-Conference Sessions

These offerings can be added to your registration for an additional fee.

Boundaries in Eight Dimensions: A Framework in Service of Consent
Presenters

Anne Thompson, LPC (she/they)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

The Eight Dimensions of Boundaries is a tool to make the invisible visible, a strategy for communication as an act of exchange. The tool highlights that all individuals are part of intersecting groups, communities and institutions, simultaneously offering opportunities to reinforce personal sovereignty, including as it relates to relational dynamics, gender, sexuality and pleasure. Through highlighting the overlap of boundaries’ psychological and concrete nature, the framework is a response to dominant social constructs of what constitutes a ‘healthy’ boundary.

Registration

View rates for Pre-Conference Workshops.

Ethical Debate & Restorative Justice: Community, Compromise & Repairing Harm for Adolescents
Presenters

Wendy Maskin

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

Use your voice to have a live ethical debate. Participants will discover and choose viewpoints of a debatable issue, then engage in that debate with each other in a guided format. Experience learning and discourse with others, then build compromise together. Following compromise building, a participant-driven restorative circle format will be used to talk through sensitive issues and team build with others. Then participants will discuss the thinking behind these formats: how and why do they work.

Registration

View rates for Pre-Conference Workshops.

Sexuality Educator Antiracist Training (SEAT)
Presenters

Crystal Ellis, MPH, CSE (she/her)

Michelle Linschoten (she/her)

Intended Audience

Educators, Supervisors

Session Description

The Sexuality Educator Anti-racist Training (SEAT) empowers sexuality educators with skills to confront, interrupt, de-construct, and challenge racism in sexuality attitudes and education. SEAT is an answer to the question, ‘What do I do when a racist incident happens under my supervision- whether I or someone else was the source of harm?’ This training offers an experiential approach from a pluralistic viewpoint that goes beyond centering whiteness.

Registration

View rates for Pre-Conference Workshops.

What Every Sex Therapist Needs to Know about Pelvic Dysfunction
Presenters

Jessica Kruckeberg, LMFT, CST (she/they)

Intended Audience

Counselors, Therapists, Supervisors, and Medical Professionals

Session Description

Most sex therapy training do not go in-depth into working with pelvic pain/dysfunction clients leaving a sex therapist feeling helpless and stuck, resulting in these clients being referred out to pelvic pain physical therapy as the one and only solution. In this workshop, we will help you understand more about pelvic dysfunction through a detailed discussion of the anatomy of the pelvic bowl, the various other body systems chronic pelvic dysfunction can impact, detailed look at the comorbidity diagnosis, the importance of talking to clients about their menstrual cycles, the penis and pelvic floor, and the impact pelvic pain has relationships.

Registration

View rates for Pre-Conference Workshops.

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Lunch Break (on your own)

Enjoy lunch at one of the great surrounding restaurants in the area! 

3:00 pm  – 4:00 pm

Concurrent Special Interest Group Sessions
Medical Sexology SIG Meeting

This special interest group is a resource for AASECT members, from medical, mental health, educational, and other backgrounds, as a forum to share and discuss information regarding the medical aspects of sexual health and well-being. This includes sexual and reproductive functioning and development as well as the psycho-social-physiological factors of sexual disorders and concerns.

CE Credit

Special Interest Group participation does not count toward CE credit.

Registration

This is an AASECT members-only event. Registration is not required.

Military and Sexuality SIG Meeting

The Military & Sexuality SIG was created for the military and their partners/spouses to share strategies to “upboot” relationships before deployment and “reboot” relationships returning from deployment. Resources regarding military and intimacy issues shared at annual Yellow Ribbon events will be shared and discussed.

CE Credit

Special Interest Group participation does not count toward CE credit.

Registration

This is an AASECT members-only event. Registration is not required.

3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Volunteer Orientation

Conference Volunteers check-in, tour the hotel and gain information to help make the conference a success! We appreciate your support.

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
AASECT Certification Roundtable

The Certification Roundtable session offers participants the opportunity to engage with the chairs of various Certification Committees, allowing them to ask questions and gain insights into each discipline. Each chair will be stationed at their respective table, ready to address inquiries specific to their area of expertise, fostering a dynamic and interactive learning environment. This is open to all conference attendees interested in AASECT Certification!

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

First Time Attendee Mixer

Attending a conference for the first time can be an exciting yet nerve-wracking experience. That’s why we’re thrilled to offer a dedicated space for all first-time attendees at the 2024 AASECT conference!

Join us for icebreakers, low-key games, and the valuable opportunity to get to know fellow peers joining the AASECT conference for the first time. We look forward to welcoming you and making your first conference experience truly memorable!

6:00 pm – 6:45 pm

Conference Welcome

Join Conference Committee Chair, Chris Belous, and Program Committee Members as they extend a warm welcome to kick off the conference and set the stage for an exciting event ahead!

6:45 pm – 8:15 pm

*Schiller Plenary
Presenter

Zooey Zephyr

Intended Audience

All Audiences

8:15 pm – 9:30 pm

Welcome Reception & Exhibits!

Explore the Exhibit Hall for an evening of poster presentations and the chance to connect with exhibitors and fellow attendees. Light hors d’oeuvres will be served, and a cash bar will be available.

Thursday, June 13, 2024

Displayed in Central Daylight Time.

7:30 am – 4:00 pm

Registration: Badge Pick-up and Information
Welcome, attendees!

For a seamless badge pickup and onsite registration experience,

Step 1: Please come to the registration area to print your badge containing your unique QR code that was emailed to you.

Step 2: Grab your tote bag, which includes your lanyard, badge holder, and important conference information.

Step 3: Don’t forget to visit the badge swag station to customize your badge with ribbons and pronoun pins.

Enjoy the conference!

7:30 am – 8:00 am

Concurrent Posters Setup - Research & Therapy

Presenters scheduled for Thursday, June 13, have exclusive access to set up their posters during this time.

Location:

Midway Foyer

Setup Details:

Each presenter will be allocated a 4-foot X 4-foot section on a 4-foot X 8-foot poster board, providing ample space for your presentation.

Supplies Provided:

Push Pins will be provided for affixing your poster, and a table will be available beneath the poster board for any additional display items you wish to showcase.

Important Note:

Posters left unattended after the session will be removed and stored at the registration desk until the last day of the conference. Any unclaimed posters will be discarded thereafter.

7:30 am – 9:00 am

Breakfast with Exhibitors

Enjoy a variety of continental breakfast delights to energize you for a day filled with learning and networking.

7:30 am – 5:30 pm

Exhibit Hall Open

Thank you to our 2024 Conference Exhibitors! Make sure to swing by each booth and check out the latest innovations, education, and products.

8:00 am  – 9:00 am

Concurrent Special Interest Group Sessions
Minor Attracted Persons SIG Meeting

This AASECT SIG was created:

  • To help educate AASECT clinicians, educators, and others on the scope and diversity of the MAP population, and to ease biases or conflicts in professionals working with MAPS and the related issues this population may bring;
  • To further provide open, safe, and productive dialogue between MAPS and members of the AASECT community since such dialogue is almost non-existent in most if not all social science entities.
  • In establishing the above for AASECT professionals, foster and encourage research on MAP populations and their various subgroups, especially advocating for more research in the U.S. to further expand professional understanding of this marginalized population;
  • To establish relationships between AASECT educators, therapists, and the MAP community as a way to improve the mental and sexual health and wellbeing of MAPs.
CE Credit

Special Interest Group participation does not count toward CE credit.

Registration

This is an AASECT members-only event. Registration is not required.

Students SIG Meeting

The Student SIG provides a way for student members to connect and actively engage with one another. This group serves as a forum to share and discuss information regarding the various aspects of navigating a range of academic programs.

CE Credit

Special Interest Group participation does not count toward CE credit.

Registration

This is an AASECT members-only event and registration is not required. Must be a student to participate.

Tantra SIG Meeting

Connect with AASECT members who are interested in Tantra and other Sacred Sexualities. This is a forum for such members to discuss, explore, learn, and share their experiences practicing Tantra and other Sacred Sexualities Network with other practitioners and learn what, where, and how others are teaching, educating, and researching new developments in these areas Discuss ways the SIG can benefit AASECT members and the populations we serve.

CE Credit

Special Interest Group participation does not count toward CE credit.

Registration

This is an AASECT members-only event and registration is not required.

8:00 am  – 9:00 am

Concurrent Poster Sessions – Research & Therapy
A Group-Based Act Intervention On Reducing Gender-Based Minority Stress for Transgender Veterans
Presenter

Melissa Fernandez, PsyD, LMHC (she/her/hers)

Session Description

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of face-to-face delivered group-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) interventions in terms of effectiveness and feasibility. The goal is to address a range of psychological issues associated with gender-based minority stress that go beyond traditional diagnoses. The hope for the group is to create a safe place for acceptance and validation of transgender experiences while providing psychoeducation and practice on increasing psychological flexibility needed to build resiliency against chronic gender-based stress.

A Survey of Medical Students Comfort Level and Communication Regarding Sexual Health
Presenter

Jennifer Valli, PHD (she)

Session Description

The goal of this research was to assess whether patient-provider conversations about sexual health are improved following attending lectures and also to understand the barriers to communication with future patients. Second-year medical students at University of Tennessee Health Science Center were given a 12-question survey following a series of lectures on sexual health. 90% of all medical students indicated that the lectures made them more likely to do so; Male identified students, in particular, indicated they were less likely to initiate conversations with female identified patients.

How Much of Romantic Chemistry is Sexual Attraction?
Presenter

David Knox, PhD Marriage and Family (he)

Session Description

Two-hundred and ninety-eight undergraduates (82% female, 81% heterosexual, and 71% white/non Hispanic) at three universities completed an anonymous, voluntary 33-item survey on romantic chemistry. Thirty-nine percent of the respondents reported that sexual attraction was the primary factor responsible for chemistry in a romantic relationship. Intellectual banter (63%), similarity of age/race/values (47%) and being ready for a new love connection (40%) were identified as other, more important factors. While a third of the respondents could not explain their ‘romantic chemistry, others suggeste

Racial and Gender Differences in Sexual Preoccupation
Presenter

Idil Ugurluoglu (she/my name)

Alexander Tatum, PhD, CST (he/him)

Jessi Schroeder, MA (she)

Alex Whitman (she/her)

Nawar Albarak

Session Description

We examined the racial and gender differences in sexual preoccupation. Consistent with the literature, results indicate that male participants reported higher sexual preoccupation than female participants. Additionally, non-White participants had greater scores of sexual preoccupation than White participants; however, we did not find evidence to support the interaction effect between gender and racial identity on sexual preoccupation.

Sexual Orientation and its Association with Anal Pleasure Among Women
Presenter

Liz Haas, LMSW ACSW CST CSE (She/Her)

Session Description

Sex is often studied in the context of risk rather than pleasure. Data from the second OMGYes Pleasure Report, focusing on women’s experience of anal stimulation, was analyzed with logistic regression to assess for the association of sexual orientation with pleasure from internal and external anal stimulation while controlling for other sociodemographics. Gay/lesbian and bisexual women were more likely than straight women to report pleasure related to internal and external anal stimulation from multiple sources. Understanding anal pleasure may help women engage in more satisfying, safer sex.

Sexual Self-Concepts Among Sexual Minority Men with Childhood Sexual Abuse Histories
Presenter

Bobbie Emetu, PhD, MPH, MA, AMFT, APCC (she, her, hers)

Session Description

This study sought to further understand sexual self-concepts among young sexual minority men with childhood sexual abuse histories. Sixteen (N = 16) participants were interviewed utilizing a hermeneutical phenomenological conceptual framework and methodology. Three themes were found: (1) body image concerns; (2) penile insecurities; and (3) desire for romantic attachment. This study extend previous research on emotional and mental components and has implications for mental health professionals who are likely to interact with childhood sexual abuse survivors who are sexually diverse.

Shame as a Moderator of Attachment and Sexual Satisfaction
Presenter

Jessi Schroeder, MA (she)

Alexander Tatum, PhD, CST (he/him)

Alex Whitman (she/her)

Session Description

Shame is an intensely painful emotion, adversely impacting mental health and social relationships. The present study addressed a gap in the literature through testing a moderated mediation model focusing on how shame proneness relates to insecure attachment and sexual satisfaction. Results indicate that sexual self-esteem mediated the relationship between insecure attachment style and sexual satisfaction. Shame proneness moderated the relationship between avoidant attachment and sexual satisfaction. Findings provide implications for therapists working with shame-prone clients.

The Impact of Internalized Transphobia on Sexual Assertiveness and Sexual Satisfaction
Presenter

Madilynn Rutherford, PhD (she/her/hers)

Session Description

The constructs of sexual satisfaction and sexual assertiveness have been largely understudied within transgender and gender diverse (TGD) populations. In order to begin addressing the gaps in the literature, this study seeks to examine the relationship between these constructs and the additional component of internalized transphobia. This research seeks to inform community sex education and therapeutic practices in order to enhance the sexual wellbeing, and thus the overall wellbeing, of TGD individuals.

The Sexual Interest Matrix
Presenter

Jessica Benge, MA, T/S (she/her)

Session Description

When individuals or couples present to therapy with sexual struggles, research has shown that these issues are correlated with a lack of partner communication and difficulties with sexual expression (Pazmany et al., 2015). The stigma surrounding sexual behaviors has stifled sexual conversations for too long. This poster will show a new theoretical model, based in the literature, that was developed to provide a framework upon which to visualize the interlaced aspects of desire, sex positivity, satisfaction, and expression.

Understanding Older Homeless Adults Sexual Expression and Behavior in Homeless Shelter Settings
Presenters

Tiffany Luo

Orlando Parrales

Session Description

The aim of this qualitative systematic review is to synthesize the literature exploring the experiences of older homeless adults’ sexual expression and behavior in homeless shelter settings, while also analyzing the perspectives of homeless shelter workers on practices that promote sexual health well-being. Practitioners need to be aware of the unique sexual health needs of older homeless adults living in shelter settings when providing care. Shelter policy and clinical practices relating to older homeless adults’ sexuality are discussed.

9:00 am – 10:30 am
*Whipple Plenary: Black Male Sexual Victimization
Presenter

Yamonte Cooper, Ed.D, LPCC, NCC, CST-S

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

Black males are disproportionately victims of sexual violence, intimate partner violence/homicide (IPV/IPH), and suicide. Recent data from the CDC’s National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS/2022) indicate that 58 percent of Black males report sexual violence, physical violence, and or stalking by an intimate partner. Black males overwhelmingly report being made to penetrate, sexual coercion, and unwarranted sexual contact where the primary perpetrators are female. Frameworks such as intersectionality fail to adequately capture Black male vulnerability. Most frameworks that attempt to explain the experiences of Black males are deficit and pathology-oriented frameworks that lack empirical evidence and are inherently racist. This presentation provides comprehensive information on Black male sexual victimization that fills a critical and urgent void in the mental health field. Therefore, professionals will be able to begin to adequately recognize and articulate the sexual victimization of Black males and provide responsive care and clinical interventions that inform treatment approaches.

11:00 am  – 12:00 pm

Concurrent Workshops
Are Your Client's Sexual Values Aligned, or in a 69?
Presenter

Rebbeca Lahann, Psy.D. (she/her)

Intended Audience

Counselors, Therapists

Session Description

An exploration of the significance of sexual values, offering insights into the impact of sexual beliefs, preferences, and behaviors on one’s well-being. It will delve into how sexual values are shaped and provide an evidence-based approach to assist therapy clients in examining their sexual values and gaining awareness of how they shape thoughts and actions. It will discuss the consequences of being out of alignment with these values and provide practical guidance on how to empower clients to navigate their sexual values consciously and make decisions that align with their core beliefs.

Sex on the Spectrum: Navigating Intimacy With Autism
Presenter

Suzannah Weiss, MPS, CSE (she/they)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

Learn how to support autistic individuals in enjoying intimacy, working through sexual obstacles, building confidence, and more. Autistic people’s sensory sensitivities, different ways of processing social and emotional information, cognitive rigidity, and passionate interests may present challenges but can also be leveraged as assets in the bedroom. This talk will cover how autistic people may approach sex differently from neurotypical people and how sexuality professionals can help them.

The Bio Component of Bio-Psycho-Social: The Impact of Female Hormones on Sexuality Over the Lifespan
Presenter

Arya Pretlow, MSN, CNM, ARNP, IBCLC (she)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

This 60-minute workshop explores the ways in which the hormonal changes of normal biological stages – puberty, pregnancy, lactation, and menopause – impact female sexuality. Taking a holistic approach and going beyond estrogen, Arya will help you better understand the relationship between sex hormones and all body systems that contribute to female sexual well-being. This is information that participants will be able to share with any client interested in understanding the role of hormones in women’s sexual experiences.

*The Rise of Rough Sex: What Sexuality Professionals Need to Know About Today's Emerging Trends"
Presenter

Debby Herbenick, PhD, MPH, CSE (she/her)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

In the past decade, rough sex (e.g., choking, smothering, face slapping, genital slapping, name-calling) has increased dramatically in prevalence. A 2020 campus-representative survey of nearly 5000 college students showed that 80% had ever engaged in rough sex. Also, 1 in 3 young adult women were choked/strangled during their most recent sexual encounter – usually consensually. This presentation will draw from several recent studies on rough sex to address its prevalence, frequency, styles, as well as implications for communication, consent, mental health, and physical health.

Understanding Trafficking Survivors and Consensual Sex Workers through Community-Led Research
Presenter

Jill McCracken

Stella Jendrzejewski

L. Tang

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

This original research presentation provides recommendations for sexuality educators from a sex worker led community based participatory research project. Often, prostitution and trafficking in the sex industry are conflated by law enforcement and social service providers, which makes it increasingly difficult to meet individuals’ needs and perpetuates cycles of shame and stigma. Hearing directly from people in the sex industry (consensual sex workers and survivors of trafficking), attendees can better provide services and resources applicable to all clients.

12:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Lunch Break (on your own)

Enjoy lunch at one of the great surrounding restaurants in the area! 

2:00 pm  – 3:30 pm

Concurrent Workshops
*A Collective Journey: Unlocking Existential Wisdom in Sex Therapy
Presenter

Chelsea Yang, MS, LCPC (She/Her)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

Join our roundtable discussion for a transformative perspective on sexual dysfunctions. Rather than treating them as isolated symptoms, we’ll explore how they convey profound existential messages about our existence and being. From hyper-sexual activity to delayed ejaculation, inability to experience pleasure, or the complexities of infidelity, we’ll uncover the deeper meanings within these challenges. Together, we’ll discuss how therapists can attune themselves to these existential messages and create a space for clients to be heard, understood, and guided toward personal growth and healing.

Assessing the Impact of LGBTQ Legislation on the Missouri Community and Healthcare Providers
Presenter

Katie Heiden-Rootes, PhD (she/her)

Michelle Dalton

Whitney Linsenmeyer, PhD, RD, LD (She/her)

Yamilet Campos

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

In the state of Missouri, two laws were passed and enacted in the summer of 2023 for restricting gender affirming healthcare and athletic participation for transgender youth. The impact of these laws are being felt across the state. We utilized an online survey of Missouri LGBTQ community members, parents of LGBTQ youth, and healthcare professionals for assessing the impact on stress, discrimination, and intent to leave the state. Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered in the fall of 2023 and analyzed for within and between group findings.

Highlighting the Need for Curated Community-Based Sex Ed Curricula
Presenter

Kelli Thompson, PhD (she)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

This roundtable discussion will highlight the need for curated sex ed curricula and why this is more urgent than ever in America. We start with a brief review of legislative mandates and history of sex education programming as well as current best-practices and associated public health outcomes. We end with a discussion on the current state of sex education in America, highlighting targeted educational needs for several unique clinical populations such as religious spaces, college campuses, LGBTQ youth, parent educators, as well as victims, offenders, and family members of sexual abuse.

Let's Talk About Size Diversity in Sex: A Collaborative Exploration of the Known, Unknown, and Bias
Presenter

Rose Lange

Intended Audience

Educators, Counselors, Therapists, Supervisors

Session Description

Body size diversity and fatness are diversity dimensions often unacknowledged in the field of sex therapy and education. Many of our clients are larger-bodied and/or engaging in size-diverse sexual encounters. Yet frequently we prescribe thin sex techniques and perspectives that our clients cannot relate to, resulting in further marginalization due to lack of representation and person-specific treatment plans. At this roundtable, Rose Lange will present a brief review of current research on fat sex and will then facilitate a lively discussion to gather group expertise and explore our biases.

Psychiatry and Sex: From Pathology to Pleasure
Presenter

Nikki Haddad, MD (she)

Carla Rosinski

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

Psychiatrists are in a unique position to address sexuality given their focus on psychosocial and medical well-being. In this literature review, we examined the intersection between psychiatry and sexual health. Literature suggests that psychiatrists to not prioritize sexuality, and patients feel uncomfortable bringing up sexual health concerns. The data reported above in conjunction with psychiatry’s fraught history with sex emphasizes the need for psychiatrists to collaborate with sex educations in discussing sex with their patients.

4:00 pm  – 5:00 pm

*General Plenary
Presenter

Pidgeon Pagonis (they/them)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

5:30 pm – 6:30 pm

Concurrent Workshops
Consent Games in Sex Education
Presenter

Kristen Lilla, LCSW, CST-S, CSE-S (she/they)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

A student-centered approach helps people invest in the learning process and retain information. Active learning is also fun and increases engagement. This interactive workshop will help participants learn three different sex education lessons to teach consent in the classroom. Consent is an essential lesson for adolescents to learn throughout the lifespan as they navigate negotiating everything from sharing to sexual intimacy. This workshop promises to be both fun and engaging while offering tangible resources for educators to implement with their own students.

Embracing Neurodiversity in Couples: Feeling Our Way Through Communication
Presenter

Amanda Gautreaux, MA (she/her)

Intended Audience

Counselors, Therapists, Supervisors, Consumers

Session Description

Neurodivergent individuals face unique challenges in relationships. Interventions that focus on connection are essential. Somatic therapy, a holistic approach that focuses on the mind-body connection is a promising solution. This workshop will discuss the theory of somatic therapy, the application in the context of neurodivergent relationships, and the protentional for enhancing emotional connection and relational well-being. By addressing the physiological aspects of attachment, I will offer a new approach to relationship therapy that leads to improved communication.

Halal Sex T.A.L.K.S. : Improving Parent-child Sexual Communication amongst Muslim Parents
Presenter

Shaakira Abdullah, PhD, DNP, FNP-BC (she/her)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

Parents play a fundamental role in their children and teens’ positive sexual development, but generally have great difficulty discussing sexuality topics. This research session will review the study titled, ‘Halal Sex T.A.L.K.S.- Improving Parent-child Sexual Communication amongst Muslim Parents’ which used an online faith-based course for Muslim parents to teach them age-appropriate sex ed, infused with their values and beliefs. This safe space allowed Muslim parents to learn what to say and how to say it (something many Muslim parents were never taught growing up).

Stigma, Disability, Sexuality: Using Language and Values Clarification to Enhance Your Practice
Presenter

Megan Valesey (she/they)

Christy Bloemendaal

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

Individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities are often left out of sexuality education due to caregivers, parents, and professionals restricting access to education and sexual expression, and prevailing ableist views on how sexuality should be experienced. Relational Frame Theory and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy provide avenues to address the harmful biases and stigmas associated with individual and group-based learning. Presenters will discuss original research that can change individual bias and values driven inclusionary efforts that expand access for this population.

*The Complex Interplay: Sexual Response & Sexual Functioning within Reproductive Grief and Loss
Presenter

Emily Morehead, MA, LPC, PMH-C (She/Her)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

This workshop will offer an evidence based treatment model for practitioners who are serving in the reproductive grief and loss community. Practitioners will leave this workshop feeling empowered to implement innovative treatment with practical application for healing in sexual response and functioning in the reproductive grief and loss community.

6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Reimagining Menopause and Beyond: A Journey of Empowerment and Clarity
Presenter

Christine Mason (she)

Intended Audience

Counselors, Therapists, Medical Professionals

Session Description

For generations, menopause has been shrouded in negative stereotypes, misconceptions, and societal false beliefs. These biases, deeply embedded in our collective psyche, have detrimentally influenced how women perceive, approach, and experience this transformative life stage. The misconceptions have further impacted sexual well-being, intimacy, and overall quality of life for many. This talk aims to debunk myths surrounding menopause, reinvent its narrative, and highlight its potential as an empowering, vibrant phase of life, free from ageism and societal biases.

7:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Concurrent Special Interest Group Sessions
Book Club SIG Meeting

This SIG meets every other month and seeks to build community between the educators, counselors, and therapists of AASECT through the study and discussion of a diversity of books covering a broad array of topics in human sexuality.

CE Credit

Special Interest Group participation does not count toward CE credit.

Registration

This is an AASECT members-only event. Registration is not required.

Gender Diverse Members SIG Meeting

Are you transgender and/or gender diverse (nonbinary, genderqueer, genderfluid, bigender, etc.) or gender questioning? If yes, this is the SIG for you! Join us for collaborating, peer support, resource sharing, and a touch of activism.

CE Credit

Special Interest Group participation does not count toward CE credit.

Registration

This is an AASECT members-only event. Registration is not required.

9:00 pm  – 11:30 pm

Kinky BINGO

Details coming soon!

Friday, June 14, 2024

Displayed in Central Daylight Time.

7:30 am – 8:00 am

Concurrent Posters Setup - Counseling & Therapy

Presenters scheduled for Friday, June 14, have exclusive access to set up their posters during this time.

Location:

Midway Foyer

Setup Details:

Each presenter will be allocated a 4-foot X 4-foot section on a 4-foot X 8-foot poster board, providing ample space for your presentation.

Supplies Provided:

Push Pins will be provided for affixing your poster, and a table will be available beneath the poster board for any additional display items you wish to showcase.

Important Note:

Posters left unattended after the session will be removed and stored at the registration desk until the last day of the conference. Any unclaimed posters will be discarded thereafter.

7:30 am – 9:00 am

Breakfast with Exhibitors

Enjoy a variety of continental breakfast delights to energize you for a day filled with learning and networking.

8:30 am – 4:00 pm

Exhibit Hall Open

Thank you to our 2024 Conference Exhibitors! Make sure to swing by each booth and check out the latest innovations, education, and products.

8:00 am  – 9:00 am

Concurrent Special Interest Groups
Alternative Sex SIG Meeting

The Alternative Sexuality SIG provides a professional forum for members to inquire, exchange insights, and share resources on alternative sexuality topics.

CE Credit

Special Interest Group participation does not count toward CE credit.

Registration

This is an AASECT members-only event. Registration is not required.

People of Color (POC) SIG Meeting

The People of Color (POC) SIG is an intentionally curated space for AASECT members who identify as a person of color (non-White racial/ethnic identities of Black/African, Indigenous, Latino/x/a, Asian, Middle Eastern, or another cultural identity).

While this is the newest iteration of the SIG; we honor the founding POC SIG members who created the space we now hold. This group intends to:

  • Bring AASECT members who hold intersectional identities relating to race (POC) together in community
  • Provide a safe space (POC specific) to share experiences, research & support
  • Discuss the visibility & engagement of POC folks within & outside of AASECT
  • Provide networking opportunities among POC members of AASECT.

This SIG meeting is designed to be a safe space for conference participants who identify as people of color; the SIG organizers respectfully request this be a closed space. 

CE Credit

Special Interest Group participation does not count toward CE credit.

Registration

This is an AASECT members-only event open to those who identify as a person of color. Registration is not required.

Sexuality and Disability Justice SIG Meeting

The mission of the AASECT Disability Justice Special Interest Group is to center the lived experiences and needs of disabled people in sex education and sexual wellbeing discussions. We seek to improve the accessibility of sex education and sexual health for all disabled people by accomplishing the following aims:

  • Providing a forum for members to share knowledge about disability, sexuality, and disability justice organizing
  • Organizing for accessibility within sex education, counselor, and therapy spaces
  • Hosting continuing education opportunities to improve AASECT members’ knowledge about disability and sexuality, as well as improving accessibility of their own practices
CE Credit

Special Interest Group participation does not count toward CE credit.

Registration

This is an AASECT members-only event. Registration is not required.

8:00 am  – 9:00 am

Concurrent Poster Sessions – Counseling & Therapy
Can You Keep a Secret?: Ethics of Secrets Policies and STD/STI Disclosure for Relational Therapists
Presenters

Olivia McLeod, B.A. (She/Her)

Gabrielle Soe, MS, T/S (She/Her)

Session Description

This poster presentation presents an ethical decision-making model and guidelines for creating a secrets policy to address potential STD/STI disclosure in intimate relational therapy. We will explore the ethical nuances that address the AASECT Code of Conduct, the AAMFT Code of Ethics, HIPAA standards, and STD/STI stigma. Our aim is to help relational therapists include such insights into their own development of a secret policy for when couples disclose STD/STI health information.

Challenging Amatonormativity: Re-introducing the hidden world of biology
Presenter

Nishita Raghu Rao MS (she/her)

Session Description

We constantly battle heteronormativity, colonial notions of sexuality, gender politics and reproductive autonomy. This presentation delves into the hidden world of genetics, neuroscience and medicine. We shall be discussing 11 sex chromosomal compositions that we know of today, presented alongside brain imaging studies of hypothalamic areas (BNST and SDN-POA/INAH 3 Cluster) that recognize gender change in an individual. Neural bases of monogamous and non-monogamous behaviors and advanced medical research into in-vitro gametogenesis and parthenogeneis, shall also be presented.

Clinical Experience with Testosterone Supplementation in Mid-Life Women
Presenters

Dawn Anderson, MD (she/her/hers)

Rebecca Anderson

Session Description

A review of clinical experience using testosterone in midlife women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) after starting a menopause center. After opening a menopause center in April 2021, we began prescribing compounded testosterone for perimenopausal and menopausal women with a decrease in libido and a diagnosis of HSDD.This will review the the effects of this treatment in terms of clinical improvement, serological changes in testosterone levels and impacts upon liver function testing.

Let's Talk About Feelings: Addressing Male Normative Alexithymia in Men with Sexual Dysfunction
Presenters

Kate Jansen

Session Description

Alexithymia, or the inability to label emotions with words, negatively impacts sexual functioning. The proposed program is a therapeutic group for men in couples therapy designed to address male normative alexithymia and provide EQ skills training. The program also serves as a tool to aid sex therapists working with men who struggle with these issues. Emotional identification, connection, and expression are central to sexual satisfaction; this program will ultimately contribute to improved therapeutic outcomes and aid in treating sexual dysfunction and enhancing sexual well-being in men.

Menses, Contraception, & Preventive Screenings Among Women with SCI: A Thematic Literature Review
Presenters

Nicole Sharf, M.A. Clinical Psychology (she/her)

Session Description

Disability stigma affects reproductive health access and bodily autonomy for women with spinal cord injuries (SCI). An area underexplored is menstrual well-being, contraception, and preventive screenings. A review of 21 articles showed 67% focused on at least one concept, revealing variability in health experiences among this population. Barriers include clinician biases, inaccessible infrastructure, and financial obstacles. More research needs to focus on the unique reproductive health challenges faced by women across the lifespan post-injury to improve healthcare equity and quality.

Obstetric Violence: The Impact of Westernized Medicine on Pregnant People
Presenters

Morgan Watkins, B.S. in Psychology (She/They)

Session Description

The purpose of this presentation is to highlight the historical and contemporary impacts of obstetric violence (OV), emphasizing the ways in which gendered violence perpetuated against birthing people by medical professionals negatively impacts physical and mental health. It is important to highlight the ways in which systemic oppression and discrimination within the medical field work to disenfranchise individuals with marginalized identities. Further, understanding the negative impacts of Westernized and medicalized birthing practices cultivates an understanding of why OV is so devastating.

Psychodelic-Assisted Sex Therapy
Presenters

Jeff Lundgren, CMHC, CST, PATP (he, him)

Session Description

Explore the intersection between psychedelics and sex therapy. A look into the historical and scientific foundations of psychedelic substances progresses to modern sex therapy techniques and culminates in the study of their neurochemical and emotional interplay. Addressing practical considerations in implementing Psychedelic-Assisted Sex Therapy, including clinical models, safety protocols, legal concerns, and ethical nuances.

Rooted in Recovery: Unearthing the Dynamics of Incest through Internal Family Systems
Presenters

Jessica Benge, MA, T/S (She/Her)

Session Description

The proposed poster presentation will seek to provide therapists with an overview of how to conceptualize incest trauma within the framework of Internal Family Systems (IFS). In this visually engaging and informative display, we will explore the complexities of incest trauma through the lens of IFS and offer insights into therapeutic approaches that can facilitate healing and growth. We will include four fictional case studies, each representing a distinct aspect of incest trauma, including varying family dynamics and individual experiences.

Which Way Do You Swing?: The Intersection of Lindy Hop and Sex Therapy
Presenters

Sophie Tobin (she/her)

Session Description

This presentation explores how lindy hop, a partnered swing dance, can be utilized in both individuals’ and couples’ sex therapy treatment as an intervention to explore gender, sexuality, trust, physical touch, and somatics. Because swing is a partnered dance with two different roles (‘lead’ and ‘follow’), participants can explore how the physical mechanics of the dance differ according to which role they prefer. This presentation also includes original ethnographic, interview, and survey data detailing the role that gender, sexuality, and queerness play in lindy hop.

8:30 am  – 4:00 pm

Concurrent Sessions
Exhibits
Registration: Badge Pick-up and Information
Welcome, attendees!

For a seamless badge pickup and onsite registration experience,

Step 1: Please come to the registration area to print your badge containing your unique QR code that was emailed to you.

Step 2: Grab your tote bag, which includes your lanyard, badge holder, and important conference information.

Step 3: Don’t forget to visit the badge swag station to customize your badge with ribbons and pronoun pins.

Enjoy the conference!

9:30 am – 11:00 am

*General Plenary: Reclaiming Pleasure, Revolutionary Pleasure: Embodied Sexuality Healing As Social Change
Presenter

Kai Cheng Thom, MSW, MSc

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

How can a pleasure-focused and Transformative Justice-based approach to our work as sexuality counselors and educators support people to reclaim embodied sovereignty? How can the fields of sex therapy and sex education embrace their singular potential not only for individual healing and edification, but social transformation as well? Join award-winning author and Adjunct Faculty at the Institute for the Study of Somatic Education Kai Cheng Thom for a powerful and inspiring conversation on the role of embodied sexuality healing as a mode of collective change. Kai Cheng brings her unique perspective as a former Couple & Family Therapist and currently practicing Sexological Bodyworker and Somatic Coach to this presentation, outlining anti-oppression, embodied transformation, and collective healing as the foundations of a revolutionary approach to sexuality coaching, counseling, and education. Participants will leave with new frameworks and techniques for anti-oppressive, trauma-informed, socially conscious practice, as well as key principles drawn from the field of Somatic Sex Education.

11:30 am  – 12:30 pm

Concurrent Sessions
Advancing Inclusion of Transgender and Gender Diverse Identities in Clinical Education
Presenters

Katie Heiden-Rootes, PhD (she/her)

Whitney Linsenmeyer, PhD, RD, LD (She/her)

Willow Rosen

Michelle Dalton

Beth Gombos, BA (they/them/theirs)

Intended Audience

Educators, Counselors, Therapists, Supervisors

Session Description

The panel presentation will describe the creation and utilization of an accessible and engaging resource written with clinical educators and transgender advocates, called Advancing Inclusion of Transgender and Gender Diverse Identities in Clinical Education: A Toolkit for Clinical Educators. The panel will include the authors discussing the best practices, application of best practices to interprofessional clinical education, and lessons learned together as co-educators.

Give Me Liberty and Leave Me Bred: The Sexual and Reproductive Reality of Breeding Kinks Post-Dobbs
Presenter

Iris Olson (they/them and he/him)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

Our team conducted an online mixed methods survey of the breeding kink community in the U.S. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the impacts of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Supreme Cout decision and later state-based legislative changes concerning reproductive/sexual health policy changes as well as better understanding how policy may change sexual activity, sexual and reproductive health decision-making, and sexual pleasure in the breeding kink community.

Inclusive BIPOC LGBTQ+ and Kinky Sexual Health: Recommendations for Education, Training & Practice
Presenters

Katherine Arenella

Taymy Caso

Madison Dabbs-Petty, MEd

Alan Smith, BA (he/him)

Katie Spencer

Intended Audience

Educators, Counselors, Therapists, Supervisors

Session Description

This dialogue panel presentation will explore human sexuality training in psychology graduate programs, queer and trans kink and BDSM, and the relationship between racial capitalism and transformative justice. Presentations include faculty, student, and therapist perspectives. Facilitated discussion will center how therapists and educators can use decolonizing pedagogies to radically transform queer and trans sexual health care. Panelists and audience members will engage in dialogue on how best to improve culturally responsive sexual health care to reduce health disparities.

*Sex & Love Around the World: A Deep Dive Into Cultural Influences on Sexuality & Sexual Function
Presenter

Tatyannah King, MSW, MEd

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

While physical and psychological factors are heavily acknowledged and identified within the biopsychosocial approach to sex therapy, the influence of social and cultural factors often receives less attention in clinical settings. In reality, our cultural upbringing sets the tone for what we value in regard to sexual values, from beliefs regarding conventional sexual behavior and appropriate expression of sexuality to decisions we make regarding mate selection. This panel presentation analyzes how sociocultural factors may influence sexual development, sexual relationships, and sexual function.

Sexuality in Medicine: A Multidisciplinary Approach
Presenter

Remi Newman (she)

Jason Villarin, PhD, DPT, FAAOMPT (he/him)

Jose Trejo, LCSW

Becky Lynn

Intended Audience

Educators, Counselors, Therapists, Medical Professionals

Session Description

Sexual health concerns often benefit from multidisciplinary treatment and care collaboration. This panel discussion will provide varied perspectives on common sexuality concerns from the lens of a medical doctor, a pelvic health physical therapist, a sex therapist, and a sexuality educator. We will discuss the ways we collaborate with colleagues to help individuals with a variety of sexual health concerns including challenges with erections and/or ejaculation, dyspareunia, vaginismus, libido concerns, anorgasmia, STI prevention and care, gender transition care and more.

11:30 am – 1:00 pm

PRMA: Facilitating Advocacy

Details coming soon.

12:30 pm – 2:30 pm

Lunch Break (on your own)

Enjoy lunch at one of the great surrounding restaurants in the area! 

2:30 pm  – 3:30 pm

Concurrent Sessions
ADHD: How to Ride the Dopamine Train
Presenters

Kristen Lilla, LCSW, CST-S, CSE-S (she/they)

Shelley Stephens, LPC CST (she/they)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

As sex educators, counselors, and therapists we work with a variety of people, many of whom are neurodivergent. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects millions of people and affects how a person focuses and what they focus on. How does ADHD affect interpersonal relationships? How does it affect sexual dynamics? How does ADHD disparage women and people of color in getting a proper diagnosis? This workshop will explore these questions and offer interventions and resources for clinicians, counselors, and educators to utilize.

Kink and Flourishing Study: Healing and Growth Through Kink Involvement
Presenters

Julie Lehman

Anna Randall, LCSW, MPH, DHS (she/her)

Kristine Chadwick, PhD (she/her)

Iris Olson (they/them and he/him)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

Presenters will share original research exploring the conditions for healing from past trauma and flourishing via kink involvement, as well as possible alignment of AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy) to those conditions. Participants will be invited to discuss clinical implications of the study’s findings in small and large groups, and will leave knowing more about healing and flourishing with kink, about AEDP and how this clinical approach relates to kink, and with a fresh perspective in caring for kink-involved clients.

Providing Compassionate Care to Abortion Care Workers
Presenters

Amanda Long (she/they)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

Abortion care providers (ACP) are subject to layers of stressors that negatively impact their mental health, including the emotional toll of their jobs, professional stigma, unprecedented legislative hurdles in a post-Roe world, and clinical site violence and protests. Scant scholarship appears to focus on the mental health needs of ACP. This session will include a discussion of the mental health needs of ACP based on our scoping review research. Recognizing and addressing these needs, allows us to better support the professionals who play a crucial role in reproductive healthcare.

*Trauma Sits in Your Body and Makes You Shut Down
Presenters

Gabrielle Evans, PhD, MPH, CHES (she/her)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

Sexual health education programs should be trauma-informed and inclusive while reflecting one’s cultural values and traditional teachings to align with community assets and reproductive health values. Due to colonization, Native Americans face higher rates of sexual and reproductive health inequities. Therefore, this presentation will discuss sexual and reproductive health professionals’ perspectives on how collective trauma affects the sexual health of Native American older adolescents and young adult women between the ages of 15-25 years old.

Red State, Blue State, and the State of Transgender Advocacy and Education in a Divided America
Presenters

Jaimie Hileman, WPATH (she/her)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

As AASECT educators and counselors working with and for Trans and gender expansive folk we have seen in 2023 unprecedented and vicious attacks on these communities as well as our ability to educate and advocate. As a Trans/LGBTQ+ cultural competency and DEI educator serving both sides of the Mississippi river in MO and IL in the St. Louis metro area, my practice has gifted me unique perspective on operating in both hostile and supportive states. These experiences inform this facilitation, offering practical application and solutions for maintaining educational/practice opportunities.

4:00 pm  – 5:00 pm

Concurrent Sessions
Behind the Velvet Curtain: The Impact of Sex Worker Inclusion in Sexology
Presenters

Fariba Arabghani, BA, ABS (she/her)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

Despite sex work’s significant societal and historical relevance, the perspectives and knowledge of sex workers remains overlooked and excluded from sexological research, public health, education, and therapeutic practice. Drawing from the unique lens of a queer BIPOC sex worker-turned-sexologist and living with disabilities, this workshop underscores the untapped reservoir of culturally significant and important insights that sex workers can provide, creating more inclusive, effective, and empathetic care for all.

Breaking Chains: Psychedelic Healing for Sexual Liberation
Presenters

Aydrelle Collins, MS,LPC (She/Her)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

‘Breaking Chains: Psychedelic Healing for Sexual Liberation’ explores the revolutionary potential of psychedelic-assisted therapy, focusing on marginalized communities burdened by minority stress. Delving into the impact of systemic oppression on sexual well-being, this presentation showcases how substances like ketamine dismantle protective barriers, allowing clients to confront suppressed traumas. By integrating psychedelic therapy with traditional sex therapy, therapists can offer comprehensive, empowering, and transformative support. This session illuminates a path toward sexual liberation

Deliberate Practice for Skill-Building in Sex Therapy
Presenters

Sheila Addison, PhD, LMFT, CST (she/her/hers)

Intended Audience

Therapists, Supervisors

Session Description

Sex therapy demands nuanced, skillful application to address clients’ diverse and sensitive concerns. Training methods such as didactic lectures and case review with supervisors have limitations in building the clinical skills required for effective sex therapy. Deliberate Practice (DP), a method of specific, targeted skills improvement through iterative practice with immediate feedback, can significantly enhance therapeutic proficiency and client outcomes. This workshop will explore how DP can help sex therapists of all skill levels build more effective and empathetic sex therapy practices.

*Finding the Room Next Door (to the Room Where It Happens)
Presenters

Emily Nagoski, PhD (She/her)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

Let’s take a whole-brain approach to ‘loss of desire’ and other changes in sexual responsiveness, by mapping our ’emotional floorplans.’ Grounded in affective neuroscience and applying lessons from the Polyvagal theory, the dual control model, and Internal Family Systems, this workshop will teach participants to ‘map’ the 7 primary process emotions and trace paths from the pleasure-adverse spaces where we get stuck, to the pleasure-favorable spaces that lead into a sexy state of mind – the LUST space. This is a practical tool for exploring how to greater create access to pleasure.

Initiating and Negotiating Mixed-Sex Threesomes: A Qualitative Study with Clinical Applications
Presenters

Nomi Ostrander, PhD, MPH, LICSW, CST (she/they/fae/faer)

Jacinda Gardner

Taylor Grosse

Ashley Thompson

Intended Audience

Educators, Counselors, Therapists

Session Description

Research on mixed-sex threesomes (MSTs) has largely been limited to quantitative assessments of attitudes and interests. This study examined the ways in which MSTs are initiated and negotiated. To understand these processes 116 people were recruited through a popular mobile application focused on threesomes. The results demonstrate the amount of planning and forethought that often goes into MSTs. Furthermore, the participant insights provide practical guidance for sex therapists and sex educators who work with clients who participate in MSTs.

4:00 pm

Exhibitor Move Out
Friday, June 14, 2024, at 4:00 PM

Exhibitors may begin dismantling displays at 4:00 PM on Friday, June 14, 2024. We encourage exhibitors not to dismantle or remove your booth materials before that time.

If you have any questions regarding your exhibitor or sponsorship package or would like to add a tote bag insert or add to your package, please contact Annie Bournas – conference@aasect.org.

5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

*Engaging Diversity Plenary: De Aquí y De Allá…Centering Latinidad in Sex Education, Counseling, y Therapy
Presenter

Juan Camarena, PhD, LMFT, LPCC, CST (he/him/el)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

Does Latinidad (the experience of a pan-Latino identity) exist? And if so, is there a common experience of sexuality? Latine(x/a/o) peoples come from 32 countries across the world and are a heterogenous mix of Indigenous, European, and African ancestries (González Burchard, et. al., 2005). Using a frame of “y” the Spanish word for “and,” the plenary will focus on duality as an integral experience of Latine(x/a/o)s living in the United States. As a collective of sexuality professionals we will explore concepts that seem in opposition, such as sexual indulgence and purity, through a mixture of data y música. We will also consider how professionals may be using whitewashing interventions in the treatment of sexual trauma through rationality, boundaries, and individualism without considering the importance of familismo, personalismo, dichos, aguantarse y desaguarse. Participants will also be asked to add more conexión y sazón to their work across populations.

7:30 pm  – 8:30 pm

Concurrent Sessions
Psychedelics and Sexuality SIG Meeting

This special interest group is a resource for AASECT members interested in learning how psychedelic medicines can be incorporated into the healing and exploration of sexuality. Members will discuss ethical concerns and considerations in care when incorporating or integrating psychedelics in practice. This SIG will provide support, share resources, and a space to learn from each other’s experiences and wisdom.

CE Credit

Special Interest Group participation does not count toward CE credit.

Registration

This is an AASECT members-only event. Registration is not required.

Sexuality Educators SIG Meeting

This SIG is for all sexuality educators, or people who consider sexuality education as part of their career description, who want to be a part of a community of other educators. This SIG will provide support, share resources, learn from each other’s experiences and wisdom, discuss the issues that are important to us as educators, emphasize the importance of our work, and create a voice that defines our roles separately from therapists and counselors.

CE Credit

Special Interest Group participation does not count toward CE credit.

Registration

This is an AASECT members-only event. Registration is not required.

Transdiscplinary Approaches to Sex Education: Pleasure, Consent, Violence Prevention, and Beyond!
Presenter

Daniella Robinson

Catherina Blair (she/her)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

This fireside chat queries expectations for sex/consent education and its implementation, while imagining new possibilities for the field. Discussant one is a PhD in Human Sexuality Candidate, who supports Indigenous survivors of sexual trauma. Her study focuses on pleasure education, grounded in Indigenous epistemologies of pleasure and pedagogical approaches. Discussant two is a MA student in Social Justice Education, while also being the lead writer for a sexual violence prevention resource for students. Her study focuses on sexual and gender-based violence prevention in higher education.

9:30 pm – 11:30 pm

Special Evening Event

Details coming soon.

Saturday, June 15, 2024

Displayed in Central Daylight Time.

7:30 am – 9:00 am

Breakfast

Enjoy a variety of continental breakfast delights to energize you for a day filled with learning and networking.

8:00 am – 8:30 am

Concurrent Posters Setup - Education & Diversity

Presenters scheduled for Saturday, June 15, have exclusive access to set up their posters during this time.

Location:

Midway Foyer

Setup Details:

Each presenter will be allocated a 4-foot X 4-foot section on a 4-foot X 8-foot poster board, providing ample space for your presentation.

Supplies Provided:

Push Pins will be provided for affixing your poster, and a table will be available beneath the poster board for any additional display items you wish to showcase.

Important Note:

Posters left unattended after the session will be removed and stored at the registration desk until the last day of the conference. Any unclaimed posters will be discarded thereafter.

8:30 am  – 9:30 am

Concurrent Poster Sessions – Education & Diversity
Choosing Myself: Innovating Comprehensive Sex Education
Presenters

Jessica Swanson

Jill McCracken

Emma Stevenson

Session Description

This presentation examines the impact of an evidence-informed sexual health education curriculum within the context of program evaluation and innovation. We describe an innovative, transdisciplinary, community-guided, trauma-informed sex education program that recognizes multiple systems of oppression and aims to decrease gender-based and sexual violence, medical racism and trafficking in the sex industry. We present findings from our federally-funded implementation and evaluation of this program and discuss lessons learned and best practices developed over the course of the funding period.

Cultural Tapestry of Desire: Investigating the Complex Role of Culture in Shaping the Psychosexual D
Presenters

Liana Cools, LMHC, CST (She/Her/Hers)

Session Description

This presentation explores the psychosexual development of Afro-Caribbean women in the English-speaking Caribbean. It investigates the complex interplay between cultural sexual messages conveyed through food, music, cultural events, and intergenerational wisdom. Through this examination, we aim to uncover the profound influence of these messages on the sexual beliefs and practices of Afro-Caribbean women. As we navigate this terrain, we seek to unveil the predominant cultural narratives that shape their sexual identities. This presentation provides a fresh perspective on the

Culture and Sexuality: A Qualitative Exploration of the Sex Lives of East African Women in US
Presenters

Brenda Babirye (She, Her, Has)

Session Description

Sexuality is a crucial aspect of human life, and understanding its expression is necessary for physical, emotional, and social well-being. Despite the significance of this topic, there is a paucity of research related to sex and sexuality among women of East African descent. Existing research has primarily focused on HIV/AIDS prevention and reproductive health, leaving the broader topic of female sexuality unexplored. This presentation aims to address this gap by exploring the diverse experiences of East African women in the US regarding their sexuality.

Evaluating Perceptions of Family Friendly Drag Events
Presenters

Kam Barker, MS (she/her)

Session Description

Drag queen story hours, typically hosted in libraries for audiences of children to promote self-expression, acceptance, and community, have been receiving significant pushback from individuals, organizations, media companies, and lawmakers. This research examined perceptions of family friendly drag events through a Relational Density Theory framework using a multidimensional scaling procedure. Participants were asked to rate the strength of relatedness between words and phrases used in news coverage of family friendly drag events on both Fox News and CNN and from the Drag Story Hour website.

Evolving Sex Education for Children and Adolescents in the US: How Do Other Countries Do it?
Presenters

Erica Czajkowski (she/her)

Session Description

The importance of sex education has been supported for decades, however, sex education in the US is neither compulsory nor standardized, being left to states or school districts decisions on its delivery. By exploring and reviewing how other countries approach sex education and comparing rates of teen pregnancies we can expand our knowledge of which protocols work best. This information can be used to show how topics should be broached and in what format sex education should be delivered providing evidence for the need to standardize and mandate sex education.

Familial Sex Education and Communication: Asian American Dialogues
Presenters

Katherine Arenella

Session Description

Asian Americans are less likely than other racial groups to seek mental health care, including sex therapy services. One important consideration in preparing sex therapists to work competently with Asian Americans is the topic of Parent-Child Sex Communication (PCSC). This poster will provide a detailed summary reviewing the research on PCSC trends in Asian American households, as well as the effects this has on Asian Americans and their sexualities. This poster will also address the cultural nuances that sex therapists and researchers should consider when working with this population.

It's Not You, It's Them: Suicidality Among the Trans and Gender Non-Conforming
Presenters

Kate Jansen

Session Description

The LGBTQ+ community has historically been blamed for the disproportionate rates of mental health concerns, including suicidality, observed within the community. However, the present study provides support to the argument that society is implicated in the rates of suicidality among transgender and gender-nonconforming (TGNC) persons, as opposed to inherent, preexisting psychopathology. As educators and clinicians, it is our responsibility to support TGNC clients and help shift conversations from what is wrong with TGNC persons to how their environments harm them and may better support them.

Sexuality Educators' Perceptions of Value & Experiences with Sexuality Certifications
Presenters

Sara Oswalt, MPH, PhD, CSE (she/her)

Joleen Nevers

Heather Eastman-Mueller, PhD, CSE, CSES, CHES (She/her/hers)

Session Description

This poster shares results from a research study that examined how sexuality educators perceive the value of certification and for those who have sought certification, their experiences with the process. Results from certified and non-certified sexuality educators will be presented.

Teaching Sexual Education Under Gender & Sexuality Gag Laws: Experiences with KY Senate Bill 150
Presenters

Hunter Savage, MS (she/her)

Session Description

In 2023, Kentucky passed Senate Bill 150, which prohibited school officials from utilizing students’ preferred pronouns and limited human sexuality topics covered in curriculum. Since 2021 we have taught a comprehensive sexual education class at a local Lexington high school for pregnant and parenting young people. We present our experiences teaching these topics under new constrictive legislation. Since the implementation of SB 150, we have made the purposeful decision to not change our curriculum and have focused efforts to create an affirming space for students.

Transcending Boundaries: Eroticism, Aging, Femininity, and Sexuality Across Identities and Cultures
Presenters

Wanda Santos

Session Description

This presentation examines the paradox faced by women in Western culture: revered for youth and beauty but marginalized with age. It contrasts global perspectives on aging and desirability, aiming to empower women across all identities and foster a more inclusive dialogue on femininity and sexuality, regardless of age.

8:30 am  – 9:30 am

Concurrent Special Interest Group Sessions
Sexuality and Aging SIG Meeting

The mission of the AASECT Sexuality & Aging Special Interest Group is to enhance the sexual health, knowledge and well-being of people in mid- and later life by increasing the knowledge and skills of AASECT members who work with them and/or the professionals and caregivers who serve them.

CE Credit

Special Interest Group participation does not count toward CE credit.

Registration

This is an AASECT members-only event. Registration is not required.

Sexuality and Religion SIG Meeting

The Sexuality & Religion SIG provides a way for members to connect and actively engage with one another. The mission of this group is to:

  • Promote religious competency among clinicians, counselors, and educators.
  • Encourage sex and sexuality training for clergy.
  • Facilitate networking among clinicians, counselors, and educators working with religious clients.
  • Offer events for religious clients to help foster healing and personal growth.
CE Credit

Special Interest Group participation does not count toward CE credit.

Registration

This is an AASECT members-only. Registration is not required.

Somatic Sexuality Professional (SSP) SIG Meeting

The Somatic Sexuality Professional (SSP) special interest group seeks to create a space for professionals who utilize intimate touch in their practice. These professionals may include, but are not limited to: surrogate partners, somatic sex educators, clinical sexologists, and cuddilists. The goals of this SIG are to:

  • Create open dialogue among SSPs in order to discuss professional and ethical boundaries or each modality, especially with respect to work that intersects with other AASECT professionals.
  • Provide education to the larger therapeutic community regarding the theory, practice, and professional and ethical boundaries of various somatic sexuality professions.
  • Aid in informed policymaking with respect to the collaborative practice between SSPs and the broader therapeutic community. 
CE Credit

Special Interest Group participation does not count toward CE credit.

Registration

This is an AASECT members-only. Registration is not required.

9:30 am  – 10:00 am

Looking Ahead to 2025!

Join the Conference Committee Chair and Program Committee for a look ahead to 2025! 

10:15 am  – 11:15 am

Concurrent Sessions
'They Won't Work with Me' and Other Client Experiences.
Presenters

Karen Caffee, PhD, LMFT, CST (she/her)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

My research focuses on the clients’ experiences when discussing sex with their therapists. I surveyed folx that had attended therapy and attempted to discuss a sex/sex-related topic with their therapist. Participants responded about their perceptions therapy and the clinicians. Participants provided insight into helpful and harmful practices enacted in therapy by their therapist. Results show that some clinicians are navigating sexological topics well and others are not. Clinical implications include addressing social injustices and unethical practices for clinicians guided by clients’ voices.

Supporting Romantic Cis- and Transgender Relationships That Remain Intact During Transition
Presenters

Nomi Ostrander, PhD, MPH, LICSW, CST (she/they/fae/faer)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

Mainstream visibility of transgender individuals and their families has increased over the past decade. Popular media representations have trickled into US culture with stories detailing someone’s transition experience, along with the transition’s impact on their romantic relationships. Researchers have explored specific challenges for couples to navigate in this transition. This study, however, is the first to understand the transition process from both romantic partners. The results will help therapist understand the co-transitions that occur when one partner comes out as Trans.

What the Health Ed?
Presenters

Rachael Gibson, PhD, MPH, MS, MEd (she/her/ella)

Intended Audience

Educators

Session Description

The goal of this workshop is to support sex educators in developing programs, curriculum, and partnerships with school-based health education teachers and administrators. Participants will learn the theoretical underpinnings of comprehensive, skills-based health education in the K-12 setting. This interactive session will guide participants in their development and integration of comprehensive sex education concepts and skills into health education lessons. Participants will leave this workshop with tangible resources and skills supporting the building of school-based partnerships.

10:15 am  – 12:15 pm

*AASECT Ethics: Complaints, Representation, & Consumer Welfare
Presenter

Kristen Lilla, LCSW, CST-S, CSE-S (she/they)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

Understanding the AASECT Code of Conduct can take months, even years, but this workshop will help people understand how to file a grievance, identify how they can represent themselves as members, and how the welfare of the consumer impacts both of those. So come on consumer, represent yourself, and file a grievance in this interactive and informative workshop!

11:30 am  – 12:30 pm

Concurrent Sessions
Cuckolding with a Bull of Color: Racism or Harmless Kink?
Presenter

Tammy Fisher, MA, LPC-S, LMFT-S (she/her)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

Understanding the perspective of the ‘bull’ of color in cuckolding is not only significant but necessary. This dynamic, shrouded in uncomfortable racial undertones, has remained unexplored, casting a shadow over this specific kink. Is there an element of fetishization at play? Is there racism hidden beneath the surface excitement? Does this perpetuate harmful stereotypes for men of color? This research aims to delve into these questions, shedding light on the experiences and perceptions of the ‘bull’ of color.

Intersectional Treatment Approach: Assessing Sexual Dysfunction and Preventing Early Onset Psychosis
Presenter

Tamara Welikson, PhD (she)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

This presentation will address the role of sexual dysfunction as an early indicator of psychosis risk symptomatology, and how to assess for and identify early psychosis experiences to prevent the development of serious mental health conditions. Due to symptom overlap and varied provider comfort levels working with individuals who experience psychosis or sexual dysfunction concerns, it is essential for early psychosis providers and sex therapists to collaborate, and for sex therapists to understand warning signs for psychosis risk, treatment approaches, and referral resources.

Sex Under the Gender Expansive Umbrella
Presenter

Willow Rosen (they/them/theirs)

Intended Audience

All Audiences

Session Description

Mx. Willow has been working for over a decade in transgender and gender expansive healthcare support, education and training. Working to provide accurate, data informed education to the transgender and gender expansive community through workshops, classes, and resource sharing. Tackling change in health care systems through provider training, business consultation, and workplace culture shift programming. Their work has garnered multiple awards, including TIME magazine’s Innovative Teacher award in 2022.

Lactation Room

A welcoming space designed to provide comfort and privacy for individuals who are breastfeeding or expressing milk.

Quiet/Processing Space

Calling all introverts and those in need of low-stimulation peace and quiet. We are thrilled this year to be offering an intentional place to settle at this year’s annual conference. This room will be a designated area to express some excited energy or find your balance. Stop by to unwind, decompress, get creative, and recharge.